Russian Paratroopers to Move to Polar Region for Northern Fleet Drills

Military transport aviation crews of the Russian Air Force were redeployed from the Pskov region to the Severny airfield in the city of Ivanovo for further moving of personnel and equipment to a northern airfield, the press office of the Defense Ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

"Military transport aviation crews will deliver paratroop units to a military airfield in Russia’s polar region under a snap combat readiness exercise. More than 10 Il-76 aircraft will be used for the redeployment. The aircraft will fly over 3,000 kilometers in 24 hours. The redeployment will take place in the daytime and in the nighttime," according to the statement.

The Russian Armed Forces on Monday began a snap combat readiness exercise of the Northern Fleet forces in the Arctic region.

The exercises, which include tens of thousands of troops, will be held on land, in sea and air and will run for five days beginning March 16.

The aim of the exercises is not to "flex muscles" as Western media often report but to improve the command mechanisms in the Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry underscored.